Battle at Hörersdorf

This report is written after about 2 months of the actual game, but hopefully something can still be deciphered. After the last game, the protestant forces due to some lucky rolls were markedly reinforced, so I decided to even out the score a bit to give the Imperial forces a temporary boost with 2 militia units and a cannon for the battle. The game is played with 2/3 ranges, so infantry move 4"/move and musket's firing range is 12". The Bohemians enter from the North, while the Imperial relief force enters from the Southern road. The premiese was that the Bohemian forces pushed on towards the catholic defenders who had mustered a force of Austrian militia to defend their village. The rest of the Imperial forces aimed to enter via the road to relieve the militia and are not deployed on the table.

Two units of Imperial militia and a cannon vs. 3 Bohemian infantry regiments. The battle certainly didn't start well for the catholics. The blue musketeers in the left flank of the Bohemians must have been a unit of ghosts from previous battles that tried to cause fear... their success is debatable (ie I forgot to remove them at the beginning of the game).

The Bohemians advanced with two forlorn hope troops (mercenary musketeer units), driven by their faith, hatred of the Hapsburgs, disrespect of the militia and greed. Under fire, the defending militia took advantage of their knowledge of local ground and didn't suffer too many casualties.

The Imperials enter from the road and just about manage to deploy in a clump. Getting more than one success on a Command Rating 7 is a pain and this time the command actually failed. Luckily the forces were in a column, so they managed to get on the table.

The militia decided to take advantage of the exposed flank of the Bohemian musketeers.

The relief infantry forces managed to get their troops into formation to South-West of Hörersdorf with a combination of monetary bribes and promises of Austrian wine.

God seemed to have been on the side of the militia, for they single-handedly broke the Bohemian musketeers, although they did take heavy beating as well in the process and ended up shaken and disorganised (or more disorganised as usual... these are militia troops after all). This temporary success was a pyrrhic victory as this left the already weakened militia without shelter from the approaching Bohemian infantry regiment.

The Bohemians and Imperials meet on the Western flank and begin exchange of musket fire.

The Imperial cavalry ride to relieve the militia (that wisely have retreated back to their village) on the Eastern flank where they face fierce opposition. The Imperial dragoons up front exchange fire with their Bohemian counterparts (with supporting musketeers). The resulting smoke causes the Imperial dragoons to loss their bearings and become disordered.

Under heavy fire on both flanks the casualties keep piling.

Finally the losses on the Imperial side are too much to bear and the Western flank crumbles with the Eastern flank following close behind. The militia try to take advantage of the exposed rear of the Western flank, but they arrive too late to be of any use. With the relief force retreating, the Bohemians are free to concentrate on the remaining militia that had bravely held their town. The militia quickly realise that discretion is the better part of valour - especially when faced with more than three times their numerical superiority of professional troops.

Hörersdorf ends up razed and pillaged, with only a few buildings left for the remaining inhabitants to return to after the Bohemians continue on their way towards Vienna. The militia were the heroes of the day, but their heroic defence is ultimately pointless and most likely caused even more suffering in the hands of the Bohemians to the villagers of Hörersdorf. Such is war.